Do Over!

You are allowed a DO OVER!

You are not a Robot – Stop trying to be one!

You are not a Computer – Stop trying to be one!

You are not a Machine – You have not fooled anyone!

You are not The Super Dad – You have short comings-and know it!

You are not The Super Mom – The real Super Mom is a myth! You are excellent at who you are and what you do– just the way you are!

You are not the greatest boss – You completely lack people skills and forget where you came from!

Congratulations – Welcome to Earth! You are human and as such you come flawed!

But all is not lost!

You are allowed to hit your Re-Set button and start over.

But start over with the wisdom you have today. Live your life as if today, you actually allowed yourself to start it all over. Kiss your wife, your kids, the dog (ok, skip the dog), attack that goal, project, punching bag as if today was the first day you ever encountered or experienced them. Baked in wisdom and past experience you did not have the first time, you will win, and it will be sweet!

Now have a Do Over!

 

I’d love your feed back: What is your do over?

Hurry Up and Wait!

Life simply moves too fast and too slow…at the same time!

“Hurry Up and Wait” is a catch phase many of us first learned in the Military. It really did not matter if it was for chow or for a patrol, we would rush as if the world was ending and then wait as if it were a meditation exercise to actually watch grass grow!

Those with children, if honest, said under their breathe countless time, I wish you’d hurry and just grow up! I know I have!

But as of late I have slowed down to re-group.  There has been a great desire to set things in motion for the future. While completing and updating the wills, trusts, investment accounts, etc… I was reminded of the brevity of life. How fast time moves and how seemingly less I know. Now, Before I get too somber here, let me say that growing older with and in grace is the way to do it and most of us have many years ahead of us!

Time can be a great rewarder of excellence if we just let it! Time can yield a harvest of riches, but only if we plant the right seeds.

Seeds of peace, love, joy, trust, education…planted in the right season may take weeks, months, and sometimes, years to yield a harvest. The same is true with money, friendship, and legacy.

In my post C/T=R, I mention that Consistency over Time will always get Results. But the process demands action today and then requires you to wait for well after tomorrow.

You will not see any fruit of your labour if you rush in and out of investments, friendships, careers, or even hobbies.

Be prudent; that is, mix your wisdom with your experience and stay the course.

Take the risk and move!

But you have to hurry and wait!

I’d love to hear from you! 

When have you hurried and waited on something and it yielded something far greater than you could have imaged?

Day 14: The Assignment

It’s 3 degrees in Northwest Georgia this morning, and while the cold air may have slowed physical movement, the thought of my new assignment has me thinking…

“Spend the day believing you were totally responsible for everything that has happened in your life so far. Just for today you can’t blame anyone for anything. If you accept responsibility for your losses, you will also put yourself in the driver’s seat for some big wins. Start imagining doing work that is fulfilling, meaningful, and profitable every day from here forward.” -from 48 Days To The Work You Love, by Dan Miller.

We so rarely take the time needed to focus on that very thing! I do mean really focus and not just a laughable after-thought based in doubt and past failures that screen YOU CAN’T DO THAT! Think, What would it actually look like to have meaningful and fulfilling, not to mention profitable work? If by wiping the slate clean we are drawn towards new experiences, uninhibited by past failures, then what type of calling would we find within ourselves? Whatever that is, that is what Dan is saying to think on.

Dan’s Challenge is a big one. However, a challenge so worthy of thought and action, I felt compelled to share with those I love to interact with. I would love to know, If time and money were not an option, what work would you be engaged with?

***

(If you have not heard of Dan Miller, he wrote 48 Days to the Work You Love. The link will take you to his site. He, Michael Hyatt, and Dave Ramsey frequently mention each other on their podcasts, articles, books…etc. There is a great relationship between these men. Its hard to like one and not the others.)

 

Not Starting 2014 Soon Enough– Start it early!

Each of us has an opportunity to change something we are doing or have always done. This year I chose to start 2014 early. And I am SO glad I did!

From Asian screen- Owned – Howell Family

Birds and commercial airplanes have this one thing in common: They cannot lift-off vertically… and neither can we!

To combat my desire to attempt yet another vertical take off on my goals; only to see them fail, I simply tried something different–I started 2014 about a two weeks ago! That would allow a long enough runway to get started on 2014! While the door is still open, I’d highly encourage you to grab 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever program by Michael Hyatt. You have questions about the ‘buts’ and the ‘hows’ and ‘whys,’ and this answers them all! 

BUT if you will not, then here is a word just for you!

In setting your goals, have a runway in which you “lift-off.” If you wait until January 1, 2014 to start planning, failure is just a light breeze away. This is exactly what would happen to me. I waited until last second, spent 8 minutes thinking over how to plan the next 8000 hours of the year. Epic failure year after year. 

So, here is what you do, at minimum, to create lift: Breakout your planner, schedule your lift-off date (the day you will start working on your goals). Allow yourself to start after the first of the year but only if you absolutely have to. Write it down, write it down, write it down! Writing down what you want will increase your changes of achievement.

Remember, you are setting your goals to your timeline and not another persons. Stop the desire to compare yourself with others and just start.

All the for this upcoming year!

2014… and So It Begins!

I completely love setting goals! Problem is, they have not all been S.M.A.R.T. goals; at best they were cloudy and undefined and unchallenged.

I have been more than ready for a breakthrough! So this year, I have chosen to take on a challenge by having S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Michael Hyatt, who in blogging and leadership circles needs no introduction, has created an amazing program called: 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever! 

Unlike I have seen in the past in other goal setting strategies, this answers questions and addressees issues I have always had but never quite knew how to ask or how to deal with adequately. Days One and Two, have completely helped! Today, I am on Day Three. This is where the track-pistol is raised, you take your mark, you are set, and you’re off!

I’d hope you go explore the link. The material is new and fresh and your not alone left trying to figure it out. So far the only real key is being intentional.

All the best in the up coming new year, enjoy the challenge!!

Permission to say no… a revisit

While reconstruction is underway…. an August Post… thanks for stopping by!!

Enjoy!!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

“Pithy” only becomes a few great bloggers such as Seth Godin (only a small slice of his genius).

Many times, less is simply more.

On the cusp of returning to regular blogging I’ve been reading several books. A common theme I am noticing is that too often we allow others to dictate the edges of the box in which we work, play, and live. We let others tell us what our strengths are and should be…

This is your life, not someone else’s life. Dare yourself to be the person you know you are inwardly. In the words of John Acuff, “Your Secret Self.”

It’s probably OK to say NO to the boss on yet another four-hour extra-curricular project that removes you from your daily work in order to say YES to your sanity and ultimate ‘productivity’ (whatever that term might really mean).

Start saying NO to things that pull you down in order to say YES to things that add value to your life. Pull the plug on stuff around you, get quiet and listen. Reengage with a definite purpose; not a well laid, soup-to-nuts, 73 step, pipe-dream, self justified, plan.

Set out on a definite purpose, in faith that it will happen, and start saying NO to those things, no matter how great they may seem at the time, that are not in-line with your purpose.

Freedom is frequently found in “NO.”

Risk, Fear, & Guts

The word Risk implies ‘a lot of Risk.’

The work Fear encompasses the whole body and mind, but borne from an abandonment of Hope.

The word Guts seems to laugh at Risk and Fear in a calculated manner borne in Faith that it, whatever it is, can, will, and must be done.

Have the Guts to face Fear and Risk big; The outcome IS worth your IT.

It really is all about you…

Seth Godin has written a series of great posts over the last week that, should you be among the minority not getting his stuff, please allow me the honor to share!

This mornings post…

Actually, they’re not yours

When you say, “my customers,” or, “my readers,” you’re using a shorthand, but you’re also making a mistake.

We’re not yours.

We’re ours.

 

What are the questions you asking your customers, suppliers, friends, and family?

Go build them an enterprise… 

Go ask the questions that help them…

You have the Freedom to Say No…

“Pithy” only becomes a few great bloggers such as Seth Godin (only a small slice of his genius).

Many times, less is simply more.

On the cusp of returning to regular blogging I’ve been reading several books. A common theme I am noticing is that too often we allow others to dictate the edges of the box in which we work, play, and live. We let others tell us what our strengths are and should be…

This is your life, not someone else’s life. Dare yourself to be the person you know you are inwardly. In the words of John Acuff, “Your Secret Self.”

It’s probably OK to say NO to the boss on yet another four-hour extra-curricular project that removes you from your daily work in order to say YES to your sanity and ultimate ‘productivity’ (whatever that term might really mean).

Start saying NO to things that pull you down in order to say YES to things that add value to your life. Pull the plug on stuff around you, get quiet and listen. Reengage with a definite purpose; not a well laid, soup-to-nuts, 73 step, pipe-dream, self justified, plan.

Set out on a definite purpose, in faith that it will happen, and start saying NO to those things, no matter how great they may seem at the time, that are not in-line with your purpose.

Freedom is frequently found in “NO.”

Family: Life & Death and bit in between

This past week I have known one or more friends or blood-family who: married, died, had a baby, lost a job, had surgery; had a bitter-sweet reunion, started a new job, and posted a new blog.  Chances are, so did you.

Chaos does not come close to describe the internal conflict of emotions called ‘Life.’

Some of these folks mentioned above handled (and are still handling) things well… While others not so much… 

How are those champs, who are hanging in there, doing it? They have family around them. 

Some have Blood-Family and others have a different family– There is Aunt Judy, a neighbor; Uncle Billy, the postal clerk and the guy you fish with on Thursday nights… You know these folks. They are just as family as your brother or sister, mom or dad.

Blood family is great; but honestly, those close friends, are many times, far better than family.  

The saying is true that a ‘brother is born for adversity’ but it is still better to have a close neighbor than a family member far away.  

Those learning this lesson, our hearts go out to you… life shared is of greater value. Those who are surrounded, nurture those relationships. 

Risk to be a neighbor; to be called “Uncle,” or “Aunt” to a non-blood related person.  What an AWESOME title!